How can you find out about the bow being open?

In reading some of the posts about observation points on the ship - most mention how much better the experience is if they have the bow of the ship accessible to passengers and not just the crew.

How can I find out which ships allow this?

Thanks ahead of time for your info.....!

I can't give you an all inclusive list of the ships that have access to the bow during a Canal transit, but I can throw a few names of those that do...

Celebrity; Millennium class, ships like Millennium, Infinity

HAL; Zuiderdam, there may be others

Royal Caribbean; Radiance class ships.. I believe the only one of this class ships that have a Canal transit planned is the Jewel of the Seas.

As far as Princess goes, the two ships that they have regularly transiting the Canal, Island and Coral I don't think they have the bow open to passengers.

Perhaps others can fill in the gaps.

In reading some of the posts about observation points on the ship - most mention how much better the experience is if they have the bow of the ship accessible to passengers and not just the crew.

 

How can I find out which ships allow this?

 

Thanks ahead of time for your info.....!

A tough one! You can ask reservations and I expect in most cases they will have a prepared answer which doesn't really answer the question. So you ask, "Mary, are you prepared to bet your job on that answer?" Not that it will make any difference because a lot of these folks just don't know, or they may think, yea, you can go to the top deck and look out in front of the ship.

I know ZUIDERDAM when I was on always opened the front deck, even had stewards with coffee and "Panama Rolls" out front, chairs for people who had difficulty standing a long time ... and after every Canal call we had a great Hotel Manager who would get everyone together after "Canal Day" and ask, "What could we have done better?" Not sure how things are now.

You can study the deck plan and look at any pictures you can find of the ship. If it's filled with winches and equipment you have your answer. If you find some images with guests all on the bow of the ship, you'll know. And the answer will vary from ship to ship within the same cruise line. Sometimes although it's possible to get there and have a great view, in order to get there you have to go through a crew area. A lot of things vary from ship to ship even within the same fleet, depending on how the Capt and Staff Capt want to interpret things.

Maybe one way is to rephrase the question ...

WHO HAS BEEN ON A CANAL CRUISE RECENTLY WHERE THE SHIP HAS OPENED THE FORE DECK FOR PASSENGERS IN THE CANAL?

No guarantees ... It always amazed me at how much can change when a senior officer changes ... Capt, Staff, Hotel Mgr, CD. Fortunately the crew manages to go with the flow, pick up the pieces and adjust to the changes.

This was Christmas Day on ZUIDERDAM in the Canal when an unexpected guest showed up to join guests on the Fore Deck ...

Regards, Richard

The Norwegian Pearl had the bow area open in April 2013.

Thanks for all the replies. I will let this thread go on a bit and then repost a new one with the title as you suggested Richard.

I would only be looking for Royal Caribbean (I have to sail 13 more days to make diamond status!!!) and the Jewel would be it.

Are you planning on sailing a particular cruise line? If yes, I would ask the policy question on the board for that cruise line. For example HAL allows it on all ships, assuming there is no safety issue going on at the time.

Only thing I can confirm is Royal Caribbean Vision class does not as directly behind the bow is where the lines connect for the mules. This was on Legend last year.

Only thing I can confirm is Royal Caribbean Vision class does not as directly behind the bow is where the lines connect for the mules. This was on Legend last year.

 

 

Where would you suggest watching from on Legend? We are sailing her in November.

To get a similar vantage point that PCWalton provided you would have to go to the most forward area of deck 10 which is where the jogging track is located on the Legend. You will probably want to get pics from all sorts of different angles, but seeing the mules attached to the ship at the first lock, for the first time is usually the shot everybody wants. As you can imagine at that point it can get a wee bit crowded. You may have to up before the chickens... but it is worth it!

I've been on the Oosterdam, Westerdam, Veendam, and Amsterdam and all opened the bow during the transit.